Last month, a Humans of New York series followed Charell Star, a young woman who was raised in foster care after her great-grandmother became ill and could no longer care for her. She cycled through cruel homes and eventually, thanks to early encouragement from her great-grandmother, landed in a boarding school that brought new opportunities along with more challenges. What can we do to support children in the U.S. foster care system?

Setting a new record, Global Witness recently revealed that 227 environmental activists were killed last year. Since 2012, Global Witness has tracked murders of "environmental defenders" who protect land, water, and wildlife. Because attacks are underreported, Global Witness acknowledges that the number of fatalities may be higher. Looking at their latest report, for the second year in a row, Colombia is the most dangerous country in the world for environmental activists. Why are Colombian advocates the most vulnerable right now?

Almost 50 years before Labor Day became an official federal holiday in the U.S., women in Massachusetts were advocating for fair and safe working conditions. Sarah Bagley was at the center of that historic movement. In 1844, while serving as the president of the Lowell Female Labor Reform Association, she organized textile workers and trained them how to testify before lawmakers. Sarah's petitions led to a legislative hearing about heinous factory conditions. What is the state of labor movements around the world today?

Tiffany & Co. was likely surprised by the backlash to their new campaign with Beyoncé and Jay-Z. Paying tribute to Audrey Hepburn's "Breakfast at Tiffany's" promotional photos, the campaign showcases Beyoncé wearing the iconic yellow Tiffany Diamond that was "discovered" in 1877 in South Africa. Since the announcement, conversations about "blood diamonds" have taken flight on social media. What are "blood diamonds" and does the Kimberley Process ensure that consumers are not purchasing them?

Even with a ban on trading ivory, elephants are still being killed for their tusks. In addition to poaching, elephants have lost much of their habitat as people expand farms into areas previously occupied by wildlife. These threats were outlined in a 2021 International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List update, which divided African elephants into two distinct species and increased their respective threat levels. What can we do?